Remains of The Day
by NiteOwl
Summary: Just a silly something I dreamed up one day while unwinding from Alice's Father Returns. Hope you guys enjoy the venture into lunacy :). Warning, character death. Ch. 5 added 3/30/03.
1. 1

eddie _Title: Remains of the Day.... yup we're talking about some definite Remains here._   
_Category: Mainly general though a scattering of N/D and R/F stuff.___

_Summary: Joy got overworked writing Alice's Father Returns so late one night while imbibing on some mountain dew an idea struck..... so hence a fluff piece about Eddie. Warning Character Death!!___

_Rating: Likely a G, will warn if future chapters go above.___

_Disclaimer: Yes Frasier is all mine.... stand back grub street.... Yeah right, standard fare, not mine just using them for a bit, will return them all in one piece, even Eddie.___

_Thanks to all my Frasier club fanfic pals who have proofed the draft or idea..... and thanks to Pepsi Co. for creating Mountain Dew, the drink of choice to cause such brain spasms that result in fics like this.___

_Chapter 1_

"Now I'll be back from my hunting trip tomorrow evening, you two be sure and take good care of Eddie." Martin Crane again reminded his sons as they were helping him carry his equipment to the elevator. 

"We will Dad, he'll be fine, trust us." Frasier assured him again. 

"Yes Dad, two grown men can take perfect care of a dog for a weekend, don't worry about a thing and have a good time." Niles chimed in as they watched the elevator doors close. 

"So shall I call the kennel or will you?" Frasier said the moment the doors were closed. 

"Oh heavens no, I did that last time remember and Dad wouldn't forgive me until I bought him one of those baskets full of meat." Niles looked horrified at the remembrance. "Besides you can take care of Eddie, he's not that much trouble." 

"Now you aren't going to lay this all on me." Frasier got defiant. "I am not going to spend all weekend dogsitting while you do nothing." 

"I have no intention of doing nothing Frasier, I'm going to take Daphne to dinner, and to the opera, and then we're going to the zoo..." Niles began, smiling as he just thought of spending time with his fiancee. 

"And you think all I'm planning on doing it sitting around the apartment?" Frasier huffed. 

"I'm the one with a girlfriend." Niles said snidely.. 

"Well for your information I was going to the Atlantis with Roz and Alice. So there!" 

"You sure are spending a lot of time with Roz lately." Niles sounded suspicious. 

"Oh don't change the subject, you take care of Eddie." Frasier says as he starts whistling for Eddie. The brothers are surprised when he doesn't appear and begin looking for him when they hear a shout from the front door. 

"Helllloooo......" the doorman was calling into an open door. "Did you guys let the dog out?" 

"Eddie might have escaped while we were arguing in the door!" Frasier suddenly thought as they ran into the living room. "Where is he?" 

"Well I'm not sure if he's yours, but knowing Mr. Crane had just left...." The doorman began. 

"He has a collar on if it's Eddie you would know." Niles breathed a sigh of relief. 

"Well I didn't get that close" the doorman wrinkled his nose. I don't like dealing with animal remains. 

"Remains..." Niles and Frasier gasped in unison as their jaws dropped in horror. 

"Yeah, saw a dog rush out the revolving doors and get hit by a taxi. It moved to fast for me to really get a good look though. Fortunately it was quick and painless." The doorman continued. 

"Eddie.... eddie...." Niles called plaintively and started looking around the apartment.. 

"Oh please let Eddie be here," Frasier began turning the apartment upside down, even looking under the cushions in a beginning state of hysteria. 

"Frasier, you realize we're going to have to go look don't you?" Niles finally braced himself. 

"Yes, I suppose we will." Frasier gulped as the two brothers followed the doorman out to the elevator. 

LATER 

"Dad is going to kill us." Frasier lamented as he carried the garbage bag containing Eddie's remains into the living room and sat it on the floor. The brothers stared in horror, both praying that by some miracle Eddie would leap back to life. 

"Heeellllooo" They were interrupted as Daphne walked in the front door. 

"Daphne!" The two jumped guiltily, automatically stepping in front of the bag. 

"Why are you guys acting so strange, oh wait you're hiding something aren't you Niles?" She cooed as she began to approach them. 

"Stay back!" They both shouted in panic, causing her to retreat. 

"Geez, what's going on here?" Roz had suddenly appeared in the doorway. 

"Oh for heavens sake Frasier, why can't we keep the blasted door shut?" Niles moaned. 

"You're the one that left it open to begin with," Frasier snapped. 

"Daphne, what's going on here?" Roz was obviously perplexed. 

"I haven't the foggiest idea, except that they're hiding something?" 

"Move over boys, I'm going to find out what's going on here so you two can quit acting so strangely." Roz moved purposefully towards the duo. Pushing them aside like children when they tried to stop her. 

"Roz.... don't...." Frasier tried to object even while Roz was peering into the bag. 

"Oh my....." She looked up in absolute horror, staring at Frasier and Niles in shock. 

"What is the bloody secret already!" Daphne exclaimed getting angry. 

"Eddie's in that bag." Roz gasped. 

"What?" Daphne's eyes grew round. 

"I swear it was an accident..." 

"He got hit by a car" 

The guys started talking over each other trying to explain themselves to Roz and Daphne who were now staring at them in mixed shock and horror. 

"You guys are dead!" Daphne finally said. 

"Martin is going to be so upset, I can't believe you let Eddie get hit by a car." Roz accused, looking directly at Frasier. 

"Don't look at me, Niles is as much to blame as I am." Frasier tried to defend himself. 

"Me?" An outraged Niles began to argue. 

"Stop it!" Roz and Daphne said loudly before the argument began full force. "It doesn't matter who's fault it is, the question now is what are you going to do?" Roz said taking the still dazed and upset Frasier by the elbow in an attempt to bring him back to a rational state of mind. 

"Yes, the deed is done, now we just have to figure out how to handle it." Daphne agreed, moving over to calm Niles down as well. 

"Does this mean you will both help us?" They looked up hopefully. 

"You know I'm always here to help you love." Daphne sighed, kissing Niles on the cheek. 

"And heaven only knows the mess you would make of it if I didn't help." Roz said, squeezing Frasier's arm affectionately. 

"You're a true friend aren't you Roz," Frasier said dryly as the four sat down to stare at the bag and began their brainstorming.   



	2. 2

eddie Chapter 2 

_2 HOURS LATER_

"Poor Eddie," Daphne sighed "I'll miss the little guy" she stared at the bag looking almost tearful. 

"I guess you liked Eddie almost as much as Dad didn't you?" Niles put his arm around her. 

"Yes, I know the rest of you didn't care for him much, but he was a sweet dog." Daphne began sniffling as Frasier tried to look properly subdued, though he still wasn't too upset. He was concerned about his fathers reaction but as far as Eddie being gone, he wouldn't miss the staring contests or dog hair on his couches one bit. 

"I don't mean to speak ill of the dead, but it's starting to smell in here." Roz wrinkled her nose as the others nodded in agreement. 

"I know, let's summarize what we've come up with so far." Frasier sighed. 

"Well we can't get another dog to pass off as Eddie, we can't say he was abducted by aliens, or say that he ran off with the french poodle next door." Roz chimed in first. 

"And we can't say we sold him to the circus, he was recruited by the FBI to sniff out drugs, or that he died of natural causes." Niles piped up. 

"We also rejected the idea that he became possessed with demons and committed suicide by jumping off the balcony, or that he saved Alice's life by pushing her out of the way of a car." Daphne finished, covering the last few ideas. 

"So essentially we're still at square one?" Frasier groaned. 

"At square one with a smelly dead dog who your father loved like one of his own children." Roz said as she rose to leave, "Come on Daphne, let's go grab a bite to eat and let the boys handle this." 

"I thought we'd make a mess of it," Frasier shot back as they walked out the door. 

"Face it Frasier, they're just using typical avoidance because they know there is no solution but the truth." Niles said sadly. 

"There's got to be something Niles, I cannot tell Dad we let Eddie out of the apartment building to be run over by a car less than 10 minutes after he left." Frasier refused to give up. 

"We really have to do something with him" Niles replied as he held his nose. 

"Well I'm definitely not putting him in the freezer, and I don't know about burying him.... I've got it, how about a taxidermist!" Frasier said excitedly as Niles' jaw dropped. 

_NEXT DAY_

"So what's the surprise?" Roz said as she and Daphne entered Frasier's apartment after they had both been summoned to come see what they had done.. 

"This!" Frasier announced as he grinned broadly and quickly pulled off a cloth to reveal a stuffed Eddie sitting up on his haunches. 

"Yes, it cost us plenty extra but we got a rush job at Dexter's" Niles beamed proudly. 

"Oh my....." Daphne's face went white. 

"That's sick Frasier, isn't this like the guy who called the station last week about stuffing his pets and keeping them around the house?" Roz continued staring at Eddie in morbid fascination. 

"This is entirely different!" Frasier exclaimed, upset by their lack of enthusiasm. 

"I don't get it, how does this help anything?" Daphne was curious. 

"Simple, we're going to tell Dad that we hypnotized Eddie and that he wouldn't come out of it." Niles finally spoke up. 

"Wait a minute, two Doctors of Psychiatry and this is all you could come up with?" Roz rolled her eyes as Daphne snickered. 

"Well if you don't like it then you can just leave." Frasier's temper flared. Niles wanted to object but didn't as the girls shook their heads and turned to go. "You can just stay here with your brother tonight instead of coming home." Daphne said to Niles as she closed the door behind them. 

"Can you believe that, the way they treated us." Frasier acted offended. 

""Oh hush Frasier, thanks to your wounded pride I get to sleep alone tonight." Niles pouted. 

"You don't have to, there's always Eddie." Frasier said sarcastically as he picked up the dog and tossed him to Niles. Poor Niles didn't want to touch it, but he couldn't let it fall either so he quickly caught it and sat it down on the floor. 

"That wasn't very funny." 

"I thought it was.... the look on your face...." Frasier laughed 

"Dad's going to be here any minute." Niles began pacing the apartment anxiously, "I don't know, do you really think he'll buy it?" 

"He's got to Niles, I don't know what else we can do." Frasier was pacing with him, both of them freezing when they heard the key in the door. 

"Hey boys I'm home!" Martin yelled as he opened the front door, lugging in a suitcase. 

"Dad, Hi welcome home, let us get your bags!" Frasier and Niles both said as they rushed out the door to get his bags. 

"They certainly left in a rush." Martin mused as he carried his suitcase to his room. 

"Have a good time, you must be tired, would you like to go to bed?" Frasier blurted out the moment they re-entered carrying his bags. 

"Slow down guys, why are you acting so weird?" Martin sounded suspicious. 

"Nothing Dad" They both responded nervously. 

"Geez, I leave for 3 days and you guys fall apart." Martin chuckled as he opened his suitcase. "But before I go to bed I gotta see man's best friend... Eddie, here boy, Daddy's home." 

. 


	3. 3

eddie Chapter 3 

_****This started out as humor but something happen and it got all angsty, now I'm not even sure where it's going. Oh well that's what happens when the voices in my head take over. Guess we'll all just have to see where it goes.****_

"Dad, why don't you just go to bed, you're tired and you can see Eddie in the morning." Niles said hastily. 

"Nonsense, now where is that mutt, Eddie, eddie... come here, daddy's home. Did you miss me boy?" 

"Dad, there's something we have to tell you," Frasier began hesitantly. "Eddie well Eddie's umm..." He faltered. 

"What, did you guys put him in a kennel again?" . 

"No not exactly Dad we uhh.. hypnotized him." Frasier blurted out, hoping it didn't sound as stupid to Martin as it just had to him. 

"You what?" Martin was incredulous. 

"Hypnotized him" Niles picked up the story trying to make it sound more believable. "It was an experiment and well it didn't go well." 

"Where's Eddie?" Martin demanded, interrupting his younger son. 

Frasier and Niles braced themselves as they pointed to a corner where they had sat the stuffed dog. 

"Eddie... eddie..." Martin practically fell while running towards his beloved pet. "What did you boys do to him?" He begged as he held the dog up, looking for signs of life. 

"I told you Dad, we hypnotized him and he wouldn't come out of it." Frasier restated while Martin was turning the dog over and studying him. 

"So then you had him stuffed?" Martin bellowed as he pulled off a small tag from Dexter's taxidermy. 

"We uhhh we uhh...." Frasier stammered. 

"I'm sorry Dad, we lied, he was hit by a car and it was an accident and we..." Niles began to crumble. 

"OUT!!!!" Martin bellowed, "Both of you!" 

"But Dad" Frasier tried to protest. 

"I said leave." Martin said in a voice so cold that they stopped dead in their tracks before turning to go with no further argument. 

"I hope Daphne will let me back in." Niles groaned. 

"At least you have a home to go to." Frasier muttered as he began grabbing things out of his closet. 

"Going to a hotel?" Niles said as he started helping his brother pack. 

"Oh yes, with the Postal Workers convention in town, everyplace is packed. I'm going to go see if Roz will let me crash at her place for a day or two." Frasier picked up the last suitcase and he and Niles exited the building. 

_LATER_

_The Montana_

"I've never seen him so upset Daphne." Niles sighed while lying on the fainting couch. "Do you think he'll ever forgive us?" 

"I'm sure he will, it will just take time. Not only did you let that happen to Eddie but then you tried to lie about it. Really bad move." 

"I know I know." Niles groaned and turned over. Daphne sat down to scratch his back. She knew the waters ahead would be rough for the Crane family. 

_Roz's apartment_

"I could have told you this would happen you know." Roz said as she brought a cold cloth for Frasier to put on his head as he lay on her sofa wallowing in misery. 

"Spare me the guilt please Roz, Dad's already given me enough. I can't get over that look in his eyes, he'll never speak to me again." Frasier said sadly as he slapped the cloth carelessly over his forehead. 

"You're his son Frasier, just give him some time." Roz neatly rearranged the cloth and put it back on his head. 

"If you could have seen him Roz, and now he's in that empty apartment with his dead dog, sitting all alone. Niles and I really screwed this one up." 

"It'll seem better in the morning." Roz said as she sat down taking his head in her lap and began absentmindedly stroking his hair, almost the same way she comforted Alice when she was distressed. "You'll see, it's just going to take some time for him to grieve for Eddie and to get over both his children trying to lie to him." 

"He has always told us both that the worst thing we could do to him was lie. He was always big on honesty. So here we've done the 2 worse things possible, kill his dog and lie about it." Frasier said glumly. 

"Remember his death was an accident." Roz said, continuing to stroke his neck and scratch his upper back. Though still upset he was beginning to relax a little bit due to her soothing touch. 

It wasn't long before he fell asleep like that, not even noticing when she gently replaced her lap with a pillow, gently kissing him on the cheek before going to her room to catch some much needed sleep also. 

_NEXT DAY_

"No Niles, I haven't heard a word from Dad." Frasier told his brother on the last commercial break before the ending of the show. "Yes of course I'll let you know the minute I do. Yes, we should meet later to talk about it. Must go now commercials almost over." Frasier closed as Roz gave him the 10 second sign. 

"Alright Seattle, we have time for one more caller in today's show, Roz who do we have?" 

"We have Bill on line 2 dealing with grief issues." Roz said as she patched the call through to Frasier. 

"Go ahead Bill I'm listening." 

"Hello Dr. Crane" Frasier almost jumped as he realized that the voice was his father's. Roz was obviously surprised to as she shrugged, obviously Martin had tried pretty hard to disguise himself when calling in. 

"Ahhh.... Hi Bill, what can I do for you today?" Frasier gulped while waiting for his father to talk. 

"Well Dr. Crane my problem is this. I've recently lost someone very dear to me and it hurt deeply. *pause*" 

"I'm very sorry for your loss." Frasier sympathized waiting for Martin to continue. 

"Yes I'm sure you are, but there's something that bothers me even more." Martin's voice almost became shaky as if he were holding back tears. "Two of the people I love the most lied to me about this death, tried to hide it from me and completely evade any responsibility. I don't know what to do I just don't feel that I can ever look them in the face again." 

"I see, so the deception involved is preventing you from grieving properly." Frasier stared at the table in front of him trying to come up with the words that might help his father. "They say forgiveness is the key..." 

"Forgiveness? I haven't even heard anyone ask for an apology." Martin interrupted bitterly. 

"Well perhaps if you would let them talk to you instead of not answering your phone or the door...." Frasier began getting upset not even noticing as Roz gave him the wrap up signal. 

"If they had wanted forgiveness they shouldn't have lied about the accident to begin with." Martin said sharply and then hung up the phone, leaving Frasier starting at Roz helplessly. "Well Bill I certainly hope you and those you love can find a way past this. I'm sure they love you just as much as you love them, I urge you to try talking to them when you are ready. *pause* And that's all the time we have for today. Have a good weekend Seattle." Frasier signed off wearily and slumped in his chair. 

"Niles on line 3" Roz's voice came over the speakers. 

"Hey Niles" 

"No I didn't know it was him before on the air." 

"Yes he slipped by Roz" 

"No I don't know what to do" 

"I think that's a good idea, yes we've got to get together and talk about this." 

"No not in public, how about I'll come over for supper?" 

"Not a good time? Daphne's spring cleaning." 

"OK well..." Frasier looked up to see Roz tapping on the glass holding up a sign that simply said "My Place" 

"Roz said you both could come over to her place tonight, yes... ok... see you at 7:30" Frasier hung up the phone as Roz came through the door. 

. 


	4. 4

Chapter 4

_*A/N __- Sorry for the long delay, think I got burned out with fanfic for awhile. But anyway, am back and planning to finish my works in progress. I know I always hate it when someone starts a story I enjoy and then stops in the middle of it. Anyway usual disclaimers apply and sorry for the delay. Oh and yes, it's still heading in an angsty direction. Will try to get it on a happier note soon. Feedback appreciated as always._

"I appreciate you letting us meet here Roz." Frasier said as he helped carry the plates to the table as they prepared for dinner." 

"Anything to help get you back home and out from underfoot." Roz teased lightly as she put down the glasses and went to the door when the bell rang signaling Niles and Daphne's arrival. They spent the meal making idol chitchat and completely avoiding the subject they had all gathered to discuss. The meal finally ended and the small group made their way to the small living room.   
"I must say Frasier, you seem rather settled in here." Niles observed as they trailed behind the ladies. 

Frasier simply cast a glare at his brother and ignored the comment. "We might as well get to the problem at hand." He announced glumly as they all sat down. Niles and Daphne automatically taking the sofa, while Frasier and Roz opted for the chairs. Everyone was silent for a moment, as if waiting for someone else to start. Finally Daphne could take the silence no longer. "Are we going to sit around like lumps of clay or figure out how to get this family back together?" 

"I don't see what we can do until Dad decides to talk to us." Frasier said almost childishly.

"Agreed, the ball is in his court." Niles nodded. "So we have decided that he's the one who needs to come to us, that wasn't hard." He began to stand. 

"SIT!" Roz commanded, startling everyone. "Listen to yourselves. It took you all of 3 minutes to decide that he needed to make the first move." Frasier opened his mouth to object, but was silenced as Roz continued. "You let his dog get run over, didn't even have the decency to try and tell him the truth upfront, and he's the one that needs to come to you? Talk about avoidance." The brothers stared at the floor for a moment, obviously feeling the weight of their guilt as Roz's words sank in. 

"But what can we do if he won't answer the phone or the door when we try." Frasier asked meekly. 

"You only tried once." Daphne pointed out. "I think you should try again."

"Well perhaps tomorrow...." Niles agreed.

"Tonight." Roz interrupted him. "The longer this goes on, the more it's going to hurt. You need to begin the healing process now." Her tone was surprisingly gentle towards the miserable Niles. 

"You've been listening to Frasier too long." Niles smiled wryly. "I suppose you're right though, ready to go Daphne?" He rose and picked up Daphne's coat for her. Daphne and Roz looked at each other and reached a silent agreement before Daphne answered. "No, this is something the 2 of you need to do alone, we'll be here waiting."

The brothers looked almost like forlorn children dreading having to admit to their father that they had broken a window. "Roz are you sure you and Daphne..." Frasier began. "Yes, now go, we'll be here." Roz reminded him gently as she stood to open the door. 

Frasier and Niles walked to the car in silence. The ride to Elliot Bay Towers was equally quiet as they both remained lost in their thoughts. It seemed much to soon that they were pulling into the parking garage. "This is going to be hard isn't it Frasier?" 

"Yes Niles it is, the girls are right though, we're going to have to apologize for both Eddie and for the lie, and beg Dad's forgiveness."

"And avoid blaming each other for it." Niles added softly as they entered the elevator.

"Maybe he won't be home, or answer the door when he sees us." Frasier said hopefully as it stopped on their floor. Frasier was the one to tap hesitantly on the door. Surprised when after a moment it opened.


	5. 5

_*Authors Note* Thanks to all reviewers for the nice reviews, and this fic was begun before N&D got married, and before F/R had their little roll in the hay. So yes I realize it sounds outdated now._  


Chapter 5

Martin looked as if he had aged 10 years overnight, the usual sparkle in his eyes dim as he wordlessly shuffled away from the door as they entered. "Hi Dad." Niles began, making an effort to smile. But there was no response from Martin. 

"So how have you been?" Frasier tried to sound casual, as he continued Niles attempt at beginning conversation.

"As well as can be expected." Martin replied shortly as he sat back down in his recliner, they quickly realized that Eddie was sitting right beside it. Martin picked the dog back up and held it in his lap.

All of his usual eloquence gone Frasier broke first at the sight before him. "Dad I'm so sorry, it was an accident, we never meant to..." His voice trailed as Martin looked at him. "...meant to hurt you like this." Niles finished for him.   


"I know you didn't mean for anything to happen to Eddie." Martin sighed heavily as he sank further into his recliner. "But I don't understand how you two could lie, and such a stupid one at that." His words stung the two men.

"It was Frasier's idea..." Niles began, before Frasier raised his hand "Remember Niles, no blaming" he hissed.

"Look Dad, we know that what we did was wrong, and we are both terribly sorry for the pain we've caused you." Frasier said sincerely.

"We're sorry about Eddie, and we're sorry we lied to you, if there's anything we can do to make it up to you..." Niles began.

Martin had looked at them silently and coldly the entire time, while patting the head of the stuffed dog, which had made their apologies even more difficult. Their words didn't seem to be reaching him, as he continued staring at them coldly.

The silence got to be too much as Niles finally said "Dad?" in barely a whisper.

"If you're finished you can leave now." Martin's tone was gruff.

"But Dad, we came and apologized..." Frasier began to argue.

"You don't think I don't realize that Roz and Daphne are behind this?" Martin blasted. "I'm just not ready to deal with this right now, thank you for coming, but if there's nothing else you have to say then go."

The brothers stared at him for a moment speechless before turning around and walking out the door, as Martin continued holding Eddie and turned the TV back on.

***Meanwhile back at Roz's apartment***  


"I wonder how the boys are doing." Daphne looked at her watch.

"We'll probably find out soon enough. You know they'll come straight back here when it's over. But do you think we did the right thing?" Roz looked concerned.

"What do you mean? Of course we did, we encouraged them to face up to Martin and admit their guilt. What could go wrong?" 

"I was just thinking ahead, what happens if Martin doesn't forgive them." Roz was staring at Frasier's suitcase absentmindedly.

"I guess Niles will come back to cry on my shoulder and Frasier on yours...which brings me to another question." Daphne leaned at Roz with a sudden gleam in her eye before continuing. "What about you and Frasier?"

"What about us?" Roz couldn't help blushing a little though at the question.

"I've just been noticing lately that you two just seem well, _close_ ." The innuendo in Daphne's voice was clear.

  
"For heavens sake Daphne, we're best friends, we are close, but not THAT close". Roz looked at Daphne in a mixture of shock and embarrassment.

"So why so defensive? You've thought about him as more than a friend haven't you." Daphne kept prying.

Roz was saved by the sound of car doors slamming, which indicated that the brothers had returned.

  


  


  


  


  



	6. Chapter 6

_I stopped drinking mountain dew, and also started a full time job about the time all my writing just fell off the map. For awhile after college I only worked a part time paper route, and that's when I did the bulk of my writing, now that I'm working all the time I find it very difficult to get time to write. I'm sorry to all the readers for getting so far behind. As before this fic is now quite outdated. Still set in the time before Niles/Daphne got married and Frasier/Roz had their fight, etc. I'm hoping to do one based on that however as soon as I wrap up this and the other story I started so long ago. Now all that said, on with chapter 6._ _I'm going to try to finish this and the other series in the next week or two._  
  
Roz and Daphne didn't even have to ask how it went when they saw the brothers faces as they shuffled back into Roz's apartment.  
  
"He wouldn't talk to us" Niles said dejectedly. Looking as lost as Daphne had ever seen him.  
  
"We did apologize at least, so I guess now we have to wait for him?" Frasier looked at Roz and Daphne questioningly. Hoping they wouldn't advise them to go back.  
  
"Maybe you're right." Daphne agreed.  
  
"You might be, but now let's sit down and tell us everything that was said." Roz pulled Frasier towards the couch.  
  
_One Hour Later_  
  
"And he just sat there holding Eddie as he told us to leave and turned back to the TV." Niles finished the story. After they had discussed every nuance of what had happened that night.  
  
"He's definitely going to need some time" Roz stated, still stunned that Martin was still acting so detached from his sons. He must have loved the dog more than she realized.  
  
  
"I guess we should go back now?" Daphne spoke to her drained boyfriend. He was suddenly looking 10 years older than he usually did. Niles nodded wordlessly and took Daphne's hand as she lead him to the door.  
  
"Talk to you tomorrow" Frasier said sadly as they left, Niles merely nodding in acknowledgement.  
  
"I can't believe how thoroughly we have messed this up" Frasier spoke to no one in particular as he curled up on the sofa in a ball.  
  
"You know it will work out eventually." Roz tried to comfort him, though wearing a worried look herself as she stood behind the sofa where he couldn't see her.  
  
"I hope you're right, I just need some quiet time to think." Frasier said distractedly as he held the pillow tightly, looking a lot like a scared little boy. "OK, well you know where I am if you need to talk." Roz patted his shoulder as she moved to turn off the lights and went to bed.  
  
  
  
  


  


  


  



End file.
